Find a place to stay

Tombs of the Nobles, Egypt: tickets, tombs and how to visit

Last checked: October 2026

Aerial view at sunrise over the hill of the Tombs of the Nobles, rows of rock-cut tomb doors below the West Bank cliffs
Aerial view at sunrise over the hill of the Tombs of the Nobles, rows of rock-cut tomb doors below the West Bank cliffs
Tombs of the Nobles on Google Maps

Tombs of the Nobles

Photo: Google Maps
Type
Historical landmark
Address
PJJ5+8P4, Al Qarna, Luxor Governorate 1340420
Area
Qurna (West Bank)
Entry fee
Wikivoyage says admission to the Tombs of the Nobles grounds is free, but each tomb group needs a ticket.2
Google rating
4.5 (504 reviews) on Google Maps, checked October 2026
Opening hours on Google Maps, checked October 2026
DayHours
Monday
08:00–18:00
Tuesday
08:00–18:00
Wednesday
08:00–18:00
Thursday
08:00–18:00
Friday
08:00–18:00
Saturday
08:00–18:00
Sunday
08:00–18:00

The private graves of Thebes

Who was buried in the noble tombs

These are the graves of the courtiers and officials of ancient Thebes, not the pharaohs. The site is the most visited cemetery on the Theban west bank, with the largest concentration of private tombs2.

At least 415 catalogued tombs1

Its other name is Valley of the Nobles. There are at least 415 catalogued tombs, numbered TT for Theban Tomb1, and they’re spread over several sites, such as Sheikh ’Abd al-Qurna3.

What the wider burial ground means for your visit:

  • The Theban Necropolis lies across the Nile from Luxor, on its west bank4, so you’ll need to cross the river first.
  • UNESCO puts it at about 10 km², with thousands of tombs and scores of temples5, so you’ll have to pick your sights.
  • It was used for burials for much of the Pharaonic period, especially the New Kingdom4, when Thebes was the capital of Upper Egypt6.

The graves sit under Kurna (Qurna), a group of three closely related villages opposite modern Luxor7. Families there built their houses on top of the tombs they chose7.

Rock-cut chambers

What were tombs in ancient Egypt?

An ancient Egyptian tomb was a repository for the remains of the dead8, and in the New Kingdom most elite tombs were rock-cut chambers9.

Tombs could be above or below ground and varied greatly in form, size and cultural significance8. Rock-cut tombs were carved directly into solid rock8, and Egyptian tombs were usually built near each other and rarely stood alone9. Expect a hillside of doorways rather than a single grand monument.

Painted pillars and walls inside a lit rock-cut tomb, with steps down to the burial chamber
Painted pillars and walls inside a lit rock-cut tomb, with steps down to the burial chamber

Pay per tomb group

Tickets, tomb groups and opening hours

You pay per tomb group, not for the site itself: the grounds are free2. These are the latest prices listed for the nobles’ tombs:

Card payment only at the ticket office2

Noble tomb tickets

TicketAdult
Grounds
Free
Menna, Nakht and Amenemipet tombs
EGP 200
Menna group, student ticket
EGP 100
Khonsu, Userhet and Benia tombs
EGP 120
Khonsu group, student ticket
EGP 60

Wikivoyage

The table uses German Wikivoyage’s prices from November 202410 (checked October 2026). English Wikivoyage’s older figure for the Menna group, from January 2019, was EGP 602 (about US$1), so expect prices to keep moving. Most sights across the river charge EGP 220–7502 (about US$4–14).

Where to buy your tickets:

  • The royal valleys of the Kings and Queens and Hatshepsut’s temple have their own ticket offices; every other West Bank site uses the central office2.
  • That central office is on the left at the end of the straight main road from the ferry port2.

Google Maps lists the site as open Mon–Sun 08:00–18:0012 (checked October 2026). That’s a map listing, not an official timetable, so check the hours when you buy your tickets.

Ferry, then west

How do you get to the noble tombs from Luxor?

Cross the Nile River to the West Bank, then head about 5 km10 straight west from the ferry landing to Sheikh Abd el-Qurna.

About 5 km west of the ferry landing10

  1. Cross the river

    Luxor's hotels and restaurants are on the East Bank; the burial grounds opposite are reached by ferry.

  2. Buy tickets at the central office

    It's on the left at the end of the straight main road from the ferry port. Pay by card, not cash.

  3. Head west to Qurna

    Go straight west from the Luxor ferry landing for about 5 km to Sheikh Abd el-Qurna, at the foot of the mountains.

  4. Find each tomb's guardian

    Each tomb has a guardian who lets you in and shows you around.

The archaeological sites over there are spread out2, so most people use a driver. Your options without a car:

  • Taxi: hiring one for the day from the West Bank costs EGP 500–1,000 (about US$9–18), depending on how well you haggle (prices from October 20252).
  • Tuk-tuk: these charge a little less than standard taxis2.
  • On foot: Wikivoyage’s 6 km2 budget walking route passes Medinet Habu, Deir el-Medina and the nobles’ cemetery.

If you’d rather have the car and guide sorted, the private West Bank day tour with Hatshepsut and the royal valleys covers this side of the river. Its listing doesn’t name the noble tombs, so ask before you book if you want them included.

Plan around the heat

When to go and what to bring

Come in the cooler months and bring a torch: that covers most of the planning.

Best months: November to early March14

  • Best time: November to early March14. Average summer highs are above 40 °C in June, July and August6.
  • Bring a torch: some of the tombs are quite dark2.
  • For a view: a hill between the tombs and the mountains looks out over the area, including the Ramesseum and the Temple of Hatshepsut2.
The Ramesseum's columns and pillars standing at the edge of the desert below the Theban hills
The Ramesseum's columns and pillars standing at the edge of the desert below the Theban hills

Walk on from here

Nearby sights on the West Bank

You can walk on to Deir el-Medina and from there to the Ramesseum, while the royal tombs lie further west3.

Ramesseum under 900 m from Deir el-Medina16

  • Deir el-Medina: you can walk straight into the nobles’ area from Deir el-Medina2, the workmen’s village of the artisans who built the pharaohs’ tombs15. Their own tombs are considered some of the most beautiful on the west bank15. See the Deir el-Medina map and visit notes.
  • Ramesseum: the mortuary temple of Ramses II, at Gurna2, is just under 900 m16 from the Hathor temple at Deir el-Medina. There’s more on the Ramesseum on its own page.
  • Valley of the Kings: the royal valley has more than sixty tombs, plus twenty unfinished ones17. Plan it with the full Valley of the Kings guide.
  • Temple of Hatshepsut: it stands at Deir el-Bahari, opposite the city of Luxor18. Read up on Hatshepsut’s temple at Deir el-Bahari.
Rows of excavated house walls at Deir el-Medina, with tomb chapels on the slope behind
Rows of excavated house walls at Deir el-Medina, with tomb chapels on the slope behind

Longer day trips

Temples further afield

Temples beyond Luxor make longer day trips once you’ve seen the burial grounds:

Questions people ask

Is Tutankhamun's tomb part of the nobles' cemetery?

No. Tutankhamun's tomb (KV62) is in the Valley of the Kings and needs its own ticket: EGP 700 for adults, EGP 350 for students.

Is Luxor the same place as ancient Thebes?

Yes. The ruins of ancient Thebes lie within modern Luxor, and its necropolis is across the river from the city.

How do you get to Luxor from Cairo?

Direct flights from Cairo take about 1 hour; the train takes about 10 hours.

Photos: Wikimedia Commons and Pexels. Authors and licences: image credits

Checked against 22 sources · last checked October 2026
  1. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  2. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  3. egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
  4. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  5. whc.unesco.org (official) · checked October 2026
  6. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  7. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  8. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  9. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  10. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  11. Central Bank of Egypt (official, via Frankfurter) · checked October 2026
  12. Google Maps listings via DataForSEO · checked October 2026
  13. english.ahram.org.eg (news) · checked October 2026
  14. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  15. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  16. Wikivoyage · checked October 2026
  17. egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
  18. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  19. Experience Egypt (official) · checked October 2026
  20. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
  21. egymonuments.gov.eg (official) · checked October 2026
  22. Wikipedia · checked October 2026
Page history · last changed 23 October 2026
  • First written